I Can Do That
by Luv2Game
Summary: The group has reached Zanarkand, and Rikku is musing on the immediate loss of her cousin. When she feels completely at a loss, a certain Guardian steps up and offers her some words of wisdom. [OneShot]


**_A/n:_** Hello all! I know, I know, I should be working on my other fic, but this idea had been beating me up for about a month now. So, finally I sat down at the computer and typed it up. Basically, it's Rikku's feeling on losing her cousin. 'Course, Auron pops up 'cause he's one the bestest FFX fellows out there. Hehe. So, please, read and leave me some feedback.

Oh, and, _not_ really an Aurikku. Just...Oh, I dunno! Read and decide for yourself...And, it's a One-Shot..

**_Disclaimer:_** FFX is not mine. Don't sue peoples! Not that you'd get much, but that's beside the point.

_**Chapter 1: I Can Do That**_

_**xxxx**_

The air was cool, the nearby water supplying the unseen force its chill. It was dark, the full moon above unable to cast of the shadows the many ruins caused. Inconspicuous threats lurked behind the piles of crumbled stones, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack unsuspecting passerby's. The area known as the Zanarkand Ruins was a dangerous place to explore all by yourself- it was hazardous to travel the terrain in large groups.

Yet that didn't keep a Rikku away from the water's edge.

She sat on the rocky ground, her legs pulled to her chin and her head resting on her bare knees idly. A large column of stone jutted out of the water before her, the anciet stone weathered and split. The structure it once supported one thousand years ago was long forgotton, now buried beneath the sea. That was what had lured the young girl to the water, and that was why she was sitting at its shore line, her body cold and her blond hair whiping about her face. While she should be back at the campsite with her companions, around the warm fire they had prepared, the Al Bhed couldn't pull herself away from the lonesome sight.

That pillar had once stood for something. It had, at one point in history, held up a massive structure. It had seen many people walk by it day in and day out. Year after year it had stood in place, holding up a building and seeing the people of Zanarkand pass it by. The people had probably never really spared the column a second glance. They had probably just assumed that it would always be there, a permanat fixture in their lives. They would have never guessed that their city, once the greatest sight to behold, would fall so and become nothing but piles of rubble and shattered stone. They would have never guessed that the building that massive pillar had once held would crash to the ground and leave nothing but dilapidated column in its wake.

To Rikku, the column reminded her of her cousin.

Yuna had always been a permanant structure in Rikku's fifteen years of life. Ever since she was a young child her dear cousin had been her best friend. Rikku had always been very close to the seventeen year old girl; she had always just assumed that Yuna would be there. The young Al Bhed had never been given a reason to think otherwise.

Just as those people of Zandarkand had always assumed that pilliar in the water would always be there, would always support that long forgotten building.

But that building was gone and that old column would soon join it in its watery grave. Just as...Just as Yuna would...

"Yunie..." Rikku spoke softly into the gentle breeze, her voice small and hoarse with emotion. "Why, Yuna? Why'd you go and become a Summoner?" Though the wind never answered her, the girl already knew the answer. Her cousin wanted to help people.

Yuna wanted to deliver the people of their nation from pain. She wanted to rid Spira of Sin, the monster that ravenged their land and caused all of its inhabitants pain and fear. She wanted to bring the Calm and perge the nation of its miscreation. But, in order to do so, Yuna would have to sacrifice the one thing that Rikku thought she would never be without.

Yuna would have to give her own life.

The moon overhead moved behind a dark cloud, no longer casting a shadow on the lone pillar, but Rikku could still make out its outline. She couldn't force herself to tear her emerald gaze away from it, even as she felt hot tears streak down her cheeks.

Why! Why was her cousin doing this? So Spira was suffering. Who cared! Let someone else forfeit their life! Why should Yunie have to do it all? Why should she have to surrender her own being just to appease some abomination that would come back in a few year! It just wasn't fair. So all of Spira was suffering...Couldn't Yuna see that _she_ was suffering? The only reason Rikku had joined Yuna's pilgrimage- the reson she had become a Guardian- wasn't becase she wanted to save Spira, but because she wanted to save her cousin.

But she couldn't.

Finally ripping her gaze away from the old column, Rikku buried her head in her folded arms, she body shaking with her heavy sobs. She had failed her cousin. She had formed a plan, a plan with Tidus, someone who loved her cousin just as much as she did. They had made a pact that they would find a different solution for Yuna so that she wouldn't have to die. But had they found a way? No. They had failed and now it was too late. They were already at Zanarkand- the last stop on the pilgrimage. They had...they reached her cousin's death bed.

"NO!" Slamming her fist on the dirt ground, she didn't even feel the tiny rocks and pebble cut into skin. "Yunie isn't going to die!" Lifting her head, blond locks slipping over her shoulders, Rikku locked her jade eyes onto the column. "She WON'T die because I WON'T let her." Standing to her feet, Rikku angrily swiped away the remainder of her tears. Her gaze lingered on the decrepit pillar, and she muttered determinedly, "I'll save her."

_**xxxx**_

Minutes later, Rikku found herself trudging back to the campsite, her head hanging low and her steps heavy. Her ealier resolve was now practically nonexistence. How was she to save her cousin? She had no idea. She's had months to think of a solution and had come up with nothing. Now, with only a few hours times until dawn, she expected herself to think up a miracle?

"Yeah, right," she muttered under her breath, stepping out of the darkness of the ruins and into the small, lit area of the campsite. Glancing around, she felt her heart drop as she was greeted with nothing. No body was there.

"Uh, guys?" The dirt crunched beneath her shoes as she examined the area. The fire was still going strong, so there was obviously somebody feeding it wood everynow and then. "Hel-lo?"

"Yes?"

Letting out a startled yelp, Rikku whirrled around, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest. While she recongnized the deed, gruff voice, she never expected someone to pop out behind her. "A-Auron! Where'd you come from?" she eked out, placing a hand to her chest, her heart pace still rapid.

The older man, wearing his very familiar red cloak, pushed his dark glasses closer to his face and brushed past the young girl, his arms full of large sticks. "You walked directly in front of me," he responded, depositing the wood next to the fire. Dusting of his hands, he caught her gaze. Though Rikku couldn't see his hazel eyes because of his glasses, she could sense his chagrin. "You didn't see me?"

Casting her eyes to the ground, Rikku sheepishly shook her head. "I- I guess I was preoccupied."

Auron gave a shallow 'Humph'. Moving past the fire, he lowered himself onto a large rock, his hidden stare never leaving the Al Bhed. She appeared rather disheveled. Her blond hair was wind blown, her attire, consisting of green shorts, and orange tee, and a carrying belt, was rumpled, and her unique swirling green eyes were red-rimmed, as though she had been...crying.

Rikku, oblivious to Auron's assessment, folded her arms across her chest and shuffled over to the fire, hoping to ward of the chill of the wind. "Where's everybody at?" she queried, keeping her eyes on to the dancing flame before her.

"Lulu went for a walk, and Wakka, of course, lept up after her."

That remark brought a smile to Rikku's face. "Tidus and Yunie go for a walk, too?" At the other Guardian's nod, Rikku's smile disappeared. "I see. Kimarhi, too?"

"The Ronso followed after our Summoner."

Nodding, Rikku sighed. "So...Yunie's not here?"

"Not at the moment."

Closing her eyes, the young girl took a deep breath, attempting to calm her nerves. Great. Now what? She couldn't follow after Yuna and interrupt her time with Tidus- Rikku knew her cousin cared about the blond boy just as much as he cared for her. Rikku couldn't take that away from the Summoner.

"Is there something you wish to speak with her about?"

Auron's question drew her away from the fire and over to the rock he sat on. Moving her gaze to her feet, she mutterd, "Yeah...but, I guess it's not all that important." Not important! Who was she kidding? It meant everything. If she could somehow convince Yuna to turn back now, then Rikku wouldn't have to watch the person she loved so die.

Auron studied the young girl, sensing a great sadness about her. He had been traveling with the group for many months, propelling them onward, and while he never grew extremely close to any of his comrades, he did consider them all his friend. He had traveled this path before, when he was a young man in his twenties. Ten years ago he had guarded Yuna's father, and ten years ago he had watched him die. He knew how this young girl was feeling, yet he also knew that she had no reason to feel the way she did.

He knew how this story would end.

Though he did want to ease the child's mind. One so young shouldn't feel so burdened. "Rikku?"

Hesitantly, she lifted her head. "Yeah?"

"You cannot change her mind. You know that, correct?"

Rikku closed her eyes, fighting back tears. She knew his words were nothing but the truth. She knew, deep in her heart, that she couldn't alter Yuna's decision, but that didn't keep Auron's words from piercing her heart. "...Yeah. I...I know."

Patting the smooth stone, Auron motioned for the blond to seat herself next to him. She complied, her movements slow and heavy. As Rikku tucked each foot under her legs, Auron began, "There is no need for tears, young Rikku."

"Auron, Yunie's gonna _die_! How can you say that?" she demanded, her voice low and harsh.

"Because," knowing her despair, Auron placed an arm around her small shoulder, "I have been in your position before."

Sniffing, Rikku stared up at the raven-haired man. Grey was peppered throughout it, but rather than making him look old, it made him look dignified and wise. "With Uncle Braska, right?"

Auron nodded. "Yes. And I can tell you from experience that tears solve nothing."

Rikku cracked a tiny smile. She found it very hard to imagine Auron crying over _anything_, even the death of a friend. The smile quickly left her lips, however. His words changed nothing, Yunie would still die. Though she knew he was trying to comfort her, something she had never seen him do, Rikku still felt alone. "Auron, words solve nothing, either. My cousin will still... die." The last word was a choked whisper.

"I told you, tears are not the solution." Sighing, he forced the young girl to look at him. Looking down at her tear-streaked face, Auron found that he truly wanted to ease her pain. "You love Yuna, don't you? You don't want to watch her die, do you?"

"Of course I don't! I don't wanna see her die! I love her!" Auron stared down at her, and to Rikku it felt as though her was boring a hole in her.

Finally, after what felt like an aeon of silence, he removed his arm and said gently, "Then that is all you need to do."

"What? I've been loving her all this time and look where it got me! Here! In Zanrakand! Aur-"

Holding up a hand, Auron silenced her protests with one simple motion. He removed his glasses. "Rikku." Laying the piece of black plasitc in his lap, he pointed a finger to his right eye. "Do you see this scar?"

Rikku nodded silently, taking in the sight of the old battle wound. She had only seen in a couple of times, each one by accident. The mark was not something that Auron was proud of. The scar started above the right eye and ran down the length of his cheek, redering his right eye useless. To Rikku the mark was nothing to be ashamed of, it deserved respect.

"You got that here, in Zanarkand, right? Defending Uncle Braska?" she queried softly.

Auron scoffed. "Something along those lines." After a moment of silence, he added, "Listen to me, Rikku. I did receive this scar here in Zandarkand, and I can tell you that your cousin will not acquire anything half as unappealing as this."

Rikku stared up at him in bewilderment. "H-How do you know that?"

He offered her a small smile. "Let's just say, wisdom comes with age."

"But-"

Auron placed his glasses back upon his face and shook his head. "Rikku, you just have to trust me. Can you do that?"

Earlier in the evening, Rikku would have answered with a no. No, that answer wasn't good enough. She needed solid prove that Yuna would be alive and capable of enjoying the rest of her life. She would have wanted a hard-based fact that her cousin wouldn't die. But now...Now, after her talk with Auron, his answer seemed perfectly acceptable. In fact, it eased her mind more than solid facts.

Smiling up at him, she replied with, "Yeah. Auron. I can do that."

_**xxxx**_

**_A/n:_** My first one-shot in the FFX section. And I like it! Hehe. So, how'd you feel about it? Do let me know, even if it wasn't your cup of tea. All comments are welcome! I do hope you all liked it, though. Welp, I'm off. Click that lil' button that reads 'Sumbit a Review' and give me a hollar.

Thanks for reading.

_Luv2Game_


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